The 1939 Isle of Man TT winner…Courtesy of Sports Car Digest

The TT races have been going on for a LONG time.  The first, on the Isle of Man TT, off the coast of England, held their first contest in 1907 (the automobile TT race on the Isle of Man was run two years earlier in 1905).  Racing through the streets of towns, these races have become synonymous with danger, and nerves of steel…

Although the Isle of Man TT race has become the most famous, there are other road races throughout Europe, with the same type of hair-raising turns that make these races so thrilling.  Below is a video from an Italian TT race (in the north of Italy, near Lake Como), which includes footage filmed in 1937.   We’ve come a long way baby, and while this short film shows it’s share of challenging maneuvers, the contrast to the newer bikes is blatant.

http://youtu.be/A9Rrj7RgP84